Why Craftsmanship Matters When It Comes to Purchasing a Watch

When it comes to buying an exceptional watch, Rolex is virtually synonymous with achieving success. Like buying a bespoke suit, purchasing a Rolex watch represents one of life's great accomplishments, one that goes far beyond just owning a beautiful timepiece—and no other brand conjures up quite this type of personal connection or emotional reaction.

A Reputation (and Certification) of Quality

Courtesy of Rolex

Rolex has built a remarkable reputation on a legacy of superb design and enduring craftsmanship. This level of appreciation didn't come about with marketing gimmicks, but with exacting precision, starting with the first Rolex wristwatch to receive a "Class A" Certificate by the Kew Observatory in Great Britain in 1914. After putting the timepiece through immensely strict tests—45 hard days of checks in various conditions—the watch proved it could hold its own against marine chronometers, the gold standard for accuracy at the time.

This prestigious certification changed the game for timekeeping and led to the rise in popularity of wristwatches as opposed to pocket watches. Rolex became the largest manufacturer of chronometer-certified wristwatches, which eventually paved the way for ground-breaking improvements like the waterproof "Oyster" case in 1926 and the self-winding perpetual rotor movement in 1931. These innovations only reinforced Rolex's burgeoning record of successful innovation—and its global prestige.

It's What's Inside That Counts

The development of the waterproof "Oyster" case was revolutionary, particularly in terms of the marketing efforts. But, then as now, it's what's inside the Rolex watch that counts. By the time the Oyster case came to be, Rolex had been manufacturing perpetual movements for over a century, a feature that remains central to the brand's undeniable watchmaking authority. From that first "Class A" certificate, strict quality criteria have been consistently maintained, and all current Rolex models are certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, COSC—often generating results over and above the very highest standards of precision, durability, and accuracy.

Courtesy of Rolex

These high standards aren't just applied to the final product, but to each and every material that goes into it. Rolex uses a particular type of steel called 904L, which is more expensive and trickier to work with but looks brilliant and polishes up beautifully. For the various types of gold—including the unique rose gold called "Everose"—special formulas are created to make the highest quality alloys for watchmaking. A cool, icy gray platinum appears in the top levels in the collection–look for pale blue dials, often a clear giveaway for the few platinum Day-Date and Daytona models. Even further, all of this metalwork gets produced in Rolex's own foundry.

These high standards aren't just applied to the final product, but to each and every material that goes into it.

The Sum of Its Parts

Specially created parts and movements are hand-assembled and developed using tools and machinery exclusive to Rolex. From little hairsprings (that keep the rhythm of the watch) made out of patented alloy materials, to a recently developed silicon that holds five patents, these important innovations keep Rolex at the forefront of technology and reliability. The balance wheels (which keep the mainspring in check) are so precise that their accuracy varies by a mere two-thousandths of a millimeter. The escapement wheel (which gives the watch its tick-tock sound) is checked and rechecked down to the micron level. Even the minuscule "Paraflex" shock absorbers were specially designed to keep the movement from being affected by even the slightest jarring or interference.

Courtesy of Rolex

Housing these impressive movements is that renowned "Oyster" case, with a middle case machined from a solid block of metal, screw-down case back, plus the crown, crystal, and bezel—all of which come together in one seamless, hermetically sealed case. All the Oyster models are waterproof to at least 330 feet, though it's 1,000 feet for the Submariners and an incredible 12,800 feet for the Deep-Sea. In fact, no feature is superfluous. From the fluted case back that requires a special Rolex tool to access the movement to the winding crown that seals the watch watertight and the sapphire crystal cyclops lens that provides unique legibility to the patented "Ceracrom" ceramic used for distinctive accent bezels, every detail on the watch serves a purpose.

The Stamp of an Icon

The iconic Rolex bracelets and clasps are almost as famous as the watches themselves. The names alone–the Oyster from the 1930s, the Jubilee designed for the Datejust launched in 1945, the President for the Day-Date and certain ladies' Datejust models, the Pearlmaster used for jeweled pieces, and the sporty rubber-like elastomer Oysterflex created for the Yacht-Master in 2015–are all legendary in the watchmaking world.

Every detail on a Rolex is the result of years of careful consideration. Each watch features intelligent design and rich history, and the thoughtful evolution of its watches has given Rolex a masterful understanding of what it takes to makes a superior timepiece—a watch that you'll love for many years to come.

Stephen WatsonContributorStephen Watson writes about watches for Town & Country and Esquire.

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